Seed-planting machine



May 2l, 1929. A. R. SOLTESZ SEED PLANTING MACHINE Filed April l5, 1927 /WJJ 2 Patented May 2'1, 1929.-

UNITED klSTATES PLATE-NT *o ADALBERT R. SOLTSZ, F CQNNELLSVILLE, EENNSYLVA'NIA. i i

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Pappugation fue@ .Aprily 1,3, 1927.. serial-No. 183,274.

This invention relates yto agricultural ma# chines and more in particulz'tr to automatic planting machines for potatoesand, corn.

The primary object ofthis invention is to provide an automatic planter which is relatively simple in construction and operation, efficient and durable. Additionall features and advantages of this invention will appear from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation ofmy apparatus as dash lines.

Fig. 2 is a rear end elevation of Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 show respectively an end View land a side elevation of the lifting handle and associated parts for lifting or lowering the so-called seed-hopper. l Fig. 5 is an elevation vof the support used for rockably mounting the planter on the beam of a plow. y 5 Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view through the seed-drum and operating mechanism thereof.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-.7 in Fig. 6. f v

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side view of the seed-pocket of the seed-drum, vwith a special insert for planting corn.

Fig'. 9 is a front elevation of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the application of the seed-drum for planting corn.

Reference being had to the drawing, my planter consists of a seed container or hopper l which is rockably mounted upon the beam 2 of the plow 3 by means of the supporting bars 4 clamped to the plow-beam by means of bolts 5 and the angle-plates 6 the horizontal flanges 7 of which are securely bolted to the rearwardly inclined bottom 8 of the hopper, whereas the vertical flanges 9 are rockable intermediate the supports 4 on mounted upon a plow, indicated in dot andy y a pivot-bolt 10.1' A hingedl cover 11h is used toY i close the top of the hopper.

At its rear end the hopper has ai'kchute 12, 'y

the sidewalls 13 and 14 of'which are adequately spaced torreceive therebetween Vthe snugrfitting seed-.drum 15, and the front and rearwalls 16, 17 reach down very close to the periphery of loss of seeds.v Y v As shown especially in Figs. Gand 7, the

v seed-drum 15 comprises 'a disc'portion 18 havmg a peripheral flange 19 in which is formed'V the suitably shaped seed-pocket 20, closed on both sides and bottom but open on the periphery. The seed-drum has on the inside a central hub 21 in which isl secured the shaft 22 mounted for rotation inthe two bearings 23 provided at the lower end of a. bracket 24'.' fastened by bolts 25'onvthe side-wall 13.

Secured to, or formed integrally with, the'y hub 2l isa bevel gear 26 which meshes with l another bevel .gear 27 freely mounted upon a pin 28 secured in a support 29 bolted to the lower end of the sidewall y14 of the chute 12;

The bevel gear 27 has al finished circular the seed-drum, to preventany flange 30 which frictionally engages the* smooth dise portion 31 of the 'track-wheel32, rthe 'rim 32a of which normally'travels on the i, vbottom of the frurow-made by the plow. lThis` track-wheel runs on a stationary pin-shaft 33 secured in the lower part of the track-wheelsupport 34 l'which is lmounted for vertical adjustment along the side-wall 14 by means of'a clamping bolt 35 which slidably engages a slot 36 providediin the upper arm 37 of' said support. The latter; is additionally guided guides 53 which are between Vthe vparallel bolted to the chute.

As will `be readily understood, by raising the track-wheel, the friction flange 30 of the bevel gear 27 will be brought nearer the cen- 9 ter of the track-wheel and the number of revolutions of the seed-drum for each turn of the track-wheel will be reduced accordingly; thus increasin the spacing of the seeds in the ground. onversely, by increasing the speed of rotation of the seed-drum, the spacing of the seeds will be reduced.

The proper adjustment ofthe seed-drum for a desired spacing of the seeds is determined by referring to a scale 38, suitably 1ocated on the side of thefchute and whereby the track-wheel-support 34 may be adjusted f to the required height. l

When the plowl has to be turned about at ate for planting potatoes.

the end of a furrow, or when it is desired to discontinue the seeding operation in a certain portion of a furrow, the planting operation is interrupted by lifting the track-wheel out of engagement with the'bottom of the furrow. This is done by means of the liftinghandle 39 which is secured to an angle-bar l() fastened in any desired manner to the rear wall 17 of the hopper. The lifting-handle is guided for vertical movement in a slot Il cut in a guide-posti@ which is securely mounted `by means of the clamping plates 43, lll and the clamp-bolts to the cross-bar 46 of the plow.` At the upper portion of theslot 451 there is a notch 47 which may be engaged by the lifting-handle to holdthc seed-drinn and hopper into the inoperative position shown in broken lines in Fig. l. As will be understood, the effort required for tilting vthe hopperland depending seed planting mechanism may be reduced to a minimum by locating the hingedsupporting means ofthe hopper as near the centerof gravity thereof as possible.

The size of t-he seed-pocket Q0 is appropri- Vhen the machine is to be used for planting corn, or other similar seeds of reduced dimensions, an insert-plate 48 is placedin the seed-pocket and removably secured therein by means of screws i9 engagingsuitable apertures 50 provided in the seed-drum. The insert-plate is preferably made reversible by giving-to its two faces the same curvature as theseed-drum. Seedpockets 51 and 52, of different sizes to suit the nature of the seeds used, are provided in said faces. i j, t

From the foregoing description it yis thought that the operation of my automatic planter willbe readilyunderstood and. may be succinctly stated to be as follows: Assuming that it is intended to plant potatoes, the potato seed-pieces are placed in the hopper l .and the track-wheel properly adjusted, bymeans of the scale 38, for the desired spacing. The lifting-handle is then, dropped into its lower, the operative, position and the plow pulled forward. The ro-y tation of the track-wheel causes the seeddrum to rotate in the direction of the arrow 54;; a potato seed-piece will be carried away in the seed-pocket 20 at each turn of the seeddrum and dropped rearwardly in the just opened furrow, where said seed-piece will lay exposed until itis covered with earth thrown over from the next following parallel furrow.

Upon reaching theend of a furrow, the operator lifts the complete planting apparatus into inoperative position, in the manner described hereinbefore priorl to reversing his plow.

As will be understood, there may be slight changes made in the construction and arrangement of the details ofimyinvention without departing from the field` and scope of the same, and I intend to include all such variations,`as fall within the scope of the appended claims, in this application in which the preferred form only of my invention has been disclosed. l

I claim:

1. In a seed-planter, a seed-hopper; a chute therefor; a'cylindrical seed-drum positioned at the outlet of said chute and adapted to ,close thesame; a seed-pocket positioned circumferentially on said seed-drum; a trackwheel; a support therefor guided for vertical adjustment on said chute; means for securing said support into adjusted position, and friction actuated'means for revolving said seeddrum by said track-wheel. Y

2. In a seed-planter, a seed-hopper; a chute therefor; a cylindrical seed-drumv positioned at the outlet of said chute and adapted to `close the same; a seed-pocket positioned circumferentially on said seed-drum; a trackwheel comprising a rim and a flat disc-meinber; a support for the track-wheel guided for vertical adjustment on said chute; means for securing said support into adjusted position; a gear positioned centrally on said seed-` drum; a second gear meshing ,with the first mentioned gear, saidsecond gear having a circumferential flange which frictionally engages; said disc-member for the purpose of rotating the seed-drum.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ADALBERT R. SOLTSZ. 

